Fluid handling devices are becoming increasingly popular and there is an increased demand for fluid handling devices which are both portable and easy to use. Portable fluid handling devices are being used for applications such as home care, point of care testing, fuel cells, fragrance dispensers, etc. In order for a portable fluid handling device to be effective and efficient, it should be light weight, small in size, consume minimal power, operate with low noise, and be cost effective to manufacture. In many applications, it is also important that the fluid handling device provide an accurate and consistent fluid distribution. Therefore, it is necessary to incorporate an efficient fluid valve in the fluid handling device. In many aspects, the fluid valve characterizes the device's efficiency.
One solution of a portable valve that attempts to meet the above criteria is a miniature solenoid valve. The miniature solenoid valve however, is not as effective as originally anticipated. Solenoid valves are limited in both size as well as power consumption. In order to obtain adequate performance, a solenoid valve typically consumes a substantial amount of power. The power consumption of a solenoid valve, in some circumstances, is unacceptable, especially when using batteries as a power source, for example. The batteries may not be able to provide power to the valve for a sufficient length of time.
Another solution has been the use of electrically actuated piezo valves. Some piezo valves operate using a closing arm that seals against a sealing shoulder when the piezo element is de-activated. These valves typically require a substantial amount of space to operate and may not always provide an adequate solution as they are subject to clogging when used with liquids that may dry around the orifice.
The present invention overcomes this and other problems and an advance in the art is achieved. A SMA component is utilized in a valve where the SMA component acts on a resilient member to actuate the valve. Furthermore, little movement is experienced by a sealing member such that the seal is capable of extended use before failure.